Parents in education forums keep asking the same thing: is there an AI tutor that works at home? One person described the gap directly: "most things seem teacher oriented, and was yet to come across something that acts as a good at-home companion for students."
There are more options every month, and the marketing all sounds similar. These eight questions help you tell them apart.
1. Does it give answers, or does it teach?
This is the most important question. Try it yourself: ask a homework question and watch what happens. A tool that immediately states the answer helps your child finish homework, not learn. A good tutor asks what they have tried, offers a hint, and lets them attempt again.
Evidence supports the concern. In a randomised trial with nearly 1,000 high school maths students in Turkey (PNAS), those using an unrestricted AI helper did 17% worse on an unaided exam than students with no tool. A version that gave hints instead of answers avoided that harm, but it did not improve exam results either. Good design protects learning; it does not guarantee more of it.
2. Will my child actually use it?
Access is not the same as use, and this is the hardest problem for tutors that ask questions instead of answering. Khan Academy has said that only about 15 percent of students with access to its AI tutor, Khanmigo, regularly use it (EdTech Innovation Hub). In a two-year randomised trial in 18 Tennessee middle schools, students often tried to get the tutor to hand over the answer and, when it asked questions or offered hints instead, largely stopped using it. Students in the Khan Academy group did modestly better than those in regular remedial maths, but the AI tutor added nothing to that gain (Hechinger Report).
So ask about session length, whether the tool is engaging for your child's age, and whether it starts the conversation rather than waiting for your child to type. Then run a trial week and watch whether your child comes back on their own.
3. Is it accurate?
AI can state wrong things confidently. Ask:
- Is it built on your child's curriculum or general internet knowledge?
- Does it cite sources?
- Can you see what it said?
Check a few answers yourself, especially in maths.
Accuracy can be very high when a tool is built for the job. In a small UK trial with 165 secondary students, an AI maths tutor whose draft replies were reviewed by human tutors made factual errors in five of 3,617 messages (The 74). That was a supervised system using detailed data on each student, not an everyday chatbot, so do not assume a general chatbot is as reliable.
4. What does it do with my child's data?
Read the privacy policy. Ask:
- What data is collected and why?
- Is it sold or used for advertising?
- Can you delete it?
- Is there a parent view?
For younger children, look for compliance with children's privacy laws in your region.
5. Can I see what my child is doing?
You do not need to read every message, but you should be able to see topics practised, time spent and areas of struggle. Visibility makes it easier to help and to spot problems.
6. How does it handle my child's specific needs?
If your child has dyslexia, ADHD, autism or a language barrier, ask directly. Some AI reading tools claim to adapt to different learners; the research is still early. Treat claims cautiously and stay in touch with your child's teacher or specialist.
7. What are the alternatives, and what do they cost?
Free resources are strong. Khan Academy, for example, is often praised as free and good at explaining. Human tutors, class teachers and library programs matter too. Compare cost against what you would get from these.
Ask about pricing: trials, cancellation, and whether costs increase.
8. Does it support the teacher and school?
A tool that matches what your child is learning in class is more useful than one that teaches a different method. Ask whether it can follow the school's curriculum, or whether the teacher can share materials.
Check your school's stance
Before you choose anything, find out what your child's school expects. Schools are still working out their positions. A 2026 Gallup study found that only 18% of teachers had received any formal guidance on using AI, and in September 2026 New York City announced a one-year moratorium on AI tools in elementary and middle school classrooms, covering about 600,000 students (Al Jazeera). Some teachers will welcome AI practice at home; others will not. A short message to the teacher saves confusion later.
Try it together first
Sit with your child for the first session. Watch:
- Do they attempt before asking for help?
- Does the tool ask them questions?
- Are they able to explain something at the end?
- Do they want to return?
A four-week trial
Do not decide on a promise. Decide on evidence from your own child.
- Week 1: Sit together. Watch how the tool behaves, and how your child reacts to it.
- Week 2: Let them lead. Check the progress view, if there is one, at the end of the week. Are they returning without being asked?
- Week 3: Ask them to teach you. Ask your child to explain something they practised. If they can, it is working. If they cannot, the tool is doing too much of the thinking.
- Week 4: Compare. Look at homework, quiz results and what the teacher says. Then decide whether to keep going, change tool or stop.
Set a cancellation reminder before the trial ends so that a free trial does not turn into a subscription by accident.
Talking to your child about it
Children take their cue from how you frame it. "This is a practice partner that will ask you questions" sets a better expectation than "This will help you with homework." Say plainly that you expect them to try first, that being wrong is fine, and that you will check in. If they start to lean on it for every answer, that is a signal to step in, not a reason for blame.
Red flags
- Promises of guaranteed grade improvements
- No clear privacy policy
- Answers given instantly with no attempt needed
- No way to see progress
- Hard-to-cancel subscriptions
Where Tutor AI fits
Tutor AI is designed as a companion for practising at home: it starts by asking your child questions, gives hints before answers, and uses interactive exercises so learning is active. Use the eight questions above on it as you would any product, and try a session together.
Summary
Ask what it does, whether it works for your child, and whether you can trust it. A good tutor makes your child think more, not less.